


Holding Hands

by veroniquemagique



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-10
Updated: 2016-09-10
Packaged: 2018-08-14 06:03:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8001262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veroniquemagique/pseuds/veroniquemagique
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lin is all too familiar with the dangers of holding hands with another woman in public, and she's just worried about young couple, that's all. She ends up opening up to Korra and Asami about a side of her that she's never really talked about before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Holding Hands

"Cut it out, you two." Lin barked at the two young ladies sitting across the fire from her. They were trying to be subtle about their flirtatious actions towards one another, but were failing to do so more by the second.

They both quickly drew their hands apart and into their respective laps, Asami looking down into hers as well out of embarrassment. Korra, on the other hand scrunched up her face at the police chief.

"What's the big deal? We're dating, we're allowed to hold hands." She shot Lin a glare, which for once was not reciprocated, but instead met with awkward darting of her eyes in any direction but forward.

"You don't have a problem with that, do you? That we're dating now. I mean-"

"I-I don't." Lin interrupted, tapping her fingers against her leg uncomfortably.

"Sounds like you do. I didn't think you'd be so closed minded, Chief."

"I'm not closed minded. I don't care if you are together any more than I cared about either of you being with the fire boy." Lin grunted. "I'm just... concerned. That's all."

"Concerned?" Asami raised her head and chimed in curiously.

"Why are you concerned about us holding hands?" Korra asked, her earlier irritation fading away as she joined her girlfriend in her confusion.

"Why aren't you? Th-there are a lot of people in this world who would hate you just for holding hands. A lot of insensitive jerks." Lin crossed her arms with reserve, still avoiding eye contact.

"O-oh. Well... we appreciate your concern, Chief, but... I think we could handle a few dirty looks." Korra said.

Lin smirked and shook her head. "You're young, you haven't seen the kind of things people will do to two women just for holding hands." She took a deep breath. "But I have. I know." Her head fell in her hands as she let out a deep, sad sigh.

Korra and Asami exchanged peculiar looks as they thought about what Lin said.

"Chief... what are you-" Korra began quietly, before her words fell short to the sight of Lin's body shaking.

"Chief..." the couple immediately got up and went to either side of Lin, kneeling on the ground in front of her.

"Stop it. Go away. Don't start worrying about an old lady like me." Lin said, without looking at either of them.

They exchanged concerned glances, and Asami put her hand on Lin's arm.

"Chief..." she paused, "Lin... are you saying what we think you're saying?"

Lin finally raised her head from her shaking hands, and moved her eyes between both Korra and Asami's worried faces. On her own face, they could see tears, and eyes that were getting red and puffy. She straightened up, and sighed again.

"Su gave me the scars on my face, but... I have other wounds... inflicted from far greater hatred than the tension between me and my sister." Lin began hesitantly. She pulled off the glove she was wearing on her right hand and slid her sleeve up slightly. She held the hand out in front of her younger onlookers. There were multiple small scars upon her hand and around her wrist. "This is what happened when I first held a woman's hand in public."

Korra and Asami both wore expressions of shock and sadness.

"Now I don't want your pity, I just want you to be careful." Lin looked at both of the girls as she used her hand to wipe the tears from her face. "Times have changed, yes, but there are still some people out there who will want to hurt you. So for the love of Spirits, be careful out there, kids."

Korra and Asami both jumped up from their kneeling positions on the dirt in front of Lin and wrapped their arms around the older woman, taking her by surprise.

"We will. We promise." Asami assured her.

"And we don't pity you. You are a very strong person, Chief. If anything, you inspire us." Korra continued.

Those words made Lin finally respond. "Inspire you? What about me being a coward is inspiring to you?"

"You're not a coward. You did what you had to." Asami said as she gave another tight squeeze. "You know, you don't have to keep it a secret anymore. Like you said, times have changed."

"I… I couldn't possibly do that. What would people think about me… about someone like me… being the head of the police force?” Lin’s eyes fell downwards, weighted by her deep sadness for the subject.

“Since when does Lin Beifong care what other people think about her?” Korra retorted, raising an eyebrow as her mouth twitched up into a smirk. “Besides, if ‘someone like you’ can be the Avatar, and ‘someone like you’ can be the CEO of a very successful company, then who's to say ‘someone like you’, can't be the Chief of the Republic City Police.”

The words filled Lin with a warm feeling. She smiled slightly, taking in what the young woman said to her, the phrase ‘someone like you’ bouncing around her head. Maybe she could be open about it. Knowing Lin Beifong, however, it would be no spectacle of an announcement, instead she just wouldn't hide it so carefully anymore.

“Thanks, kids. I appreciate it.” Lin said, the smile still lingering on her face as the girls let her go and returned to their places across the fire from her. Through the flickering flames, they could see tears well in Lin's eyes once more, but she wiped them away with her smile still remaining. Something suddenly felt much freer in her now, and it was a good feeling.


End file.
